VR Intake Counselor - #ARS00069

Title: VR Intake Counselor - #ARS00069

State Role Title: Counselor II

Hiring Range: Minimum $66,891 commensurate with experience

Pay Band: 4

Agency: Dept for Aging & Rehab Svcs

Location: Aging & Rehab Svcs (NOVA)

Agency Website: https://www.dars.virginia.gov

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Award winning Alexandria, Virginia is a great place to live, work, and thrive. With a prime location inside the Capital Beltway, Alexandria is the 3rd most walkable city in Virginia and a stone's throw across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Alexandria offers a beautiful historic Old Town, waterfront parks, museums, and attractions related to culture and history.

If you enjoy working with others and love Alexandria, then come and work for DARS.

Job Duties:

*This position is subject to close 10-business days (excluding holidays) from the opening date”.

In partnership with people with disabilities, the Division of Rehabilitative Services (DRS) assists individuals with disabilities to make informed choices that will maximize their employment through coordinated service delivery. DRS staff will assist the Virginia Career Works Network to deliver quality workforce services to individuals with disabilities who want to work and employers seeking to hire them.

We are seeking a Vocational Rehabilitation Intake Counselor to initiate applications for the Vocational Rehabilitation program by conducting quality intakes and initial needs assessments. Core services will include collecting documentation of disability, identifying serious functional limitations, and determining eligibility for the Vocational Rehabilitation program in compliance with federal/state laws and agency policies/procedures. At times, will also be responsible for providing comprehensive Vocational Rehabilitation services, including counseling and guidance and job placement supports, that results in quality employment outcomes.

Minimum Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will have:

In accordance with 34 CFR 361.10, 34 CFR 361.11, and Virginia’s Combined State Plan under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), applicants are required to have a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling or a closely related field. Applicants within a semester of completing their master's may also be considered. Transcripts must accompany the application, and they must display the date that the degree was awarded.

• Considerable knowledge of the social, economic, medical, vocational, and emotional issues impacting persons with disabilities; interviewing, evaluation, and counseling techniques; methods and tools for career counseling and exploration.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of vocational service delivery to persons with disabilities.

Additional Considerations

• Knowledge of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance requirements.
• Current CRC credential.
• Communicate effectively and establish and maintain effective working relationships with customers, co-workers, and the professional community.
• Organize and manage multiple and sometimes unrelated responsibilities in a fast-paced environment.
• Prioritize duties and exercise responsible judgment with minimal supervision.
• Skilled in Windows based computer usage and the ability to learn proprietary software for case management/case documentation purposes.
• Experience gathering information via thorough intake sessions, collecting and reviewing medical information and determining eligibility for vocational rehabilitative service according to established policy and regulations.

Special Instructions:

Master’s level transcripts or copy of current certification, if applicable, must accompany the application. Please note that the transcripts must display the date that the degree was awarded.

• This has been designated a sensitive position under Va. Code § 2.2-1201.1. 
• A fingerprint-based criminal history check will be required of the finalist candidate.
• The selected candidate must complete a Statement of Personal Economic Interests as a condition of employment (Va. Code § 2.2-3114.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during the application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. Contact recruitment@dars.virginia.gov for assistance.

Minorities, Individuals with disabilities, Veterans, AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other National Service Alumni are encouraged to apply.

To Apply:

Equal Opportunity Employer State applications will only be accepted as submitted online by 11:55 p.m. on the closing date through the Commonwealth of Virginia’s New Recruitment Management System. Mailed, emailed, faxed, or hand delivered applications and/or résumés will not be accepted. PageUp will provide you with confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

Contact Information:

Name: Human Resources

Email: Recruitment@dars.virginia.gov

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.